The Cheese Board That Changed Everything

The perfect Cornish evening that wasn't so perfect

Some people have eureka moments in the shower. Ours happened over a cheese board at our friends' house in St. Ives.

It was one of those perfect Cornish evenings – the kind where the light turns golden and you can hear the waves from the kitchen window. Emma had laid out this gorgeous spread: proper Cornish Yarg, some aged cheddar, crusty bread and in the centre, three supermarket chutneys still in their plastic tubs.

We tried them all. Sweet, generic, forgettable. The kind of chutneys that exist but don't enhance anything.

The challenge that started everything

"This cheese deserves better," Ryan muttered, spreading what can only be described as brown sugar soup onto a piece of perfectly aged cheddar.

"I could make better than this blindfolded," I replied, probably a bit too loudly after the second glass of wine.

"Prove it," said Emma.

Challenge accepted.

Our first proper creation

The next weekend, we were back with our own creation: our first-ever batch of Fig, Caramelised Red Onion & Balsamic Chutney. We'd spent hours caramelising onions until they were jammy and sweet, adding fresh figs and a splash of proper balsamic vinegar that Ryan had been saving for a special occasion.

The silence around that cheese board was different this time. The kind of quiet that happens when people are actually tasting something, not just eating.

"Oh my God," Emma finally said. "This is what chutney is supposed to taste like."

What that cheese board taught us

That cheese board taught us something crucial: good cheese needs a worthy partner. It needs something with personality, something that can hold its own alongside complex, aged flavours.

Now, every recipe we develop gets the cheese board test. Our Caramelised Red Onion Chutney with its deep, sweet complexity? Perfect with sharp cheddar. Our Cheese Board Chutney (yes, we literally named it that) with its balanced fruit and spice blend? It plays beautifully with everything from soft brie to crumbly stilton.

The elevation test

But it's not just about pairing – it's about elevating. A great chutney doesn't just sit alongside cheese; it transforms the entire experience. Our Apple & Scrumpy Chutney turns a simple piece of mature cheddar into something that tastes like the essence of an English orchard. Our Beetroot & Horseradish creates this incredible contrast with creamy goat's cheese.

Our gold standard

These days, we test every new flavour the same way: good bread, proper cheese and the question "Does this make the cheese taste even better than it did before?"

Because that's what happened that evening in St. Ives. We didn't just make a better chutney – we made the cheese taste like the best version of itself.

That's still our gold standard. Not just "will people like this?" but "will this make everything else on the plate taste more amazing?"

Most of the time, the answer is yes. And when it's not? Back to the kitchen we go.

Tell us about your perfect cheese board moment – what combinations have surprised and delighted you? We love hearing how our chutneys are finding their way onto tables across the country.